BURBANK, CA. — In a timeslot formerly occupied by “ER,” NBC‘s “Parenthood” may finally be arriving, albeit for its fifth season.

“There’s a trust from the network,” said Jason Katims, a producer, writer and director of the series, “we’ve struggled in previous time slots and while NBC has always been supportive, they understand there’s a lot of work for them in that time slot.”

“Parenthood,” the ensemble cast family drama, will be going head-to-head with ABC’s “Scandal” and CBS’s “Elementary.” “Parenthood” premieres tonight at 10 p.m.

“To me, we have an audience that is invested and people who are passionate about the show,” Katims said recently over a press lunch at the Burbank studios. Read More »

Actress Mae Whitman provides the voice for the relentlessly cheery fairy Tinker Bell in “Secret of the Wings,” but the subject matter is much rougher in some of her other projects. On her TV show “Parenthood,” her fictional family is facing up to a cancer diagnosis and questions of mortality. And Whitman’s well-reviewed movie “The Perks of Being a Wallflower,” takes on questions about child abuse, sexuality and drug use.

This past weekend, Disney held the New York City premiere of “Secret of the Wings.” The film, which played a limited run in Los Angeles, will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday. Speakeasy chatted with Whitman about her role for kids–and her more mature roles for their parents. Read the interview after the jump. Read More »

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Speakeasy is a blog covering media, entertainment, celebrity and the arts. The publication is produced by Barbara Chai and Jonathan Welsh with contributions from the Wall Street Journal staff and others. Write to us at speakeasy@wsj.com or follow us on Twitter at @WSJSpeakeasy or individually @barbarachai.